Starke County’s 2016 salary ordinance will include longevity pay for employees. They will be eligible for the benefit after five years of continuous, full-time county employment. The policy is designed to reward workers who stay with the county and does not apply to elected officials. Additionally employees who retire from the county but later return to work will not have their prior years of service count toward their longevity.
That provision did raise questions, as some clerical staff positions turn over when a new department head is elected. The council discussed whether to base longevity pay on cumulative years worked but opted not to do so at this time due to unanswered questions about the financial impact.
